I love a good dessert as much as the next girl. Maybe even more... I have a huge sweet tooth! But sometimes, I want a bite of something sweet without diving head first into a tray of doughnuts or a pan of brownies or a dozen cookies or... okay I better call it quits now. So that's why I love these little energy balls, bites, pops, bars, whatever you want to make them! Without sending my sugar dragon into overdrive, I can still enjoy these for a sweet treat.

And when you just happen to have a heart-shaped cake pop mold that you got on clearance for like a quarter last year, and you just happen to have heart paper straws (i.e. the best pop sticks ever), then you make v-day themed energy pops! Isn't everything cuter when it's on a stick... and heart shaped!?

But really, mold them into heart pops, roll them into balls, or press out into a pan and slice into bars! No matter the form, these are tasty little Larabar-esque treats -- perfect for Valentine's day or any day.

Strawberry Cacao Energy Balls

Ingredients:

7 dates, pitted and halved

1 cup raw cashew pieces

1 cup freeze dried strawberries

1/4 cup cacao nibs

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 Tbsp water

pinch of salt

Instructions:

Empty about a cup of freeze dried strawberries into the bowl of your food processor and pulse until they are pea-sized (some will be powder, some will be bigger). Then remove the strawberries to a small bowl.

Add dates and cashew pieces to food processor and process until both are very fine and they start to stick together.

Add in strawberry powder, cacao nibs, chia seeds, and a dash of salt. Pulse until everything is well combined.

Turn food processor on and drizzle in up to 1 Tbsp (or a little more) water until the mixture sticks together into a dough-like texture.

Decide on their final form!

Balls - scoop out (using a cookie dough scoop if you have), then roll into balls.

Pops - press into molds (or roll into balls as noted above), stick with half of a paper straw, and chill!

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